liam  A.  Houghton 


Our  Fathers'  Altar 

A 
Centennial  Sermon 


Founding  of  the  First 
Christian  Church 
No  r thb  o r ou  gh ,  Ms  ?  s . 


'  A& 


OUR   FATHERS'    ALTAR: 


CENTENNIAL     SERMON, 


I'KEACUKD 


JUNE    7,    1846, 


IN      COMMEMORATION     OF     THE 


Founding   of  the  First   Christian  Church 


NOKTllMtOUGII,    MASS. 


BY   WILLIAM   A.   HOUGHTON, 
Pastor  of  the  Evangelical  Congregational  Church  in  that  placo. 


WORCESTER: 

PRINTED    BY    HENRY   J  .    H  0  W  L  A  N  I> 
No.    171    Main    Street. 


! 

OUR    FATHERS'    ALTAR: 


CENTENNIAL    SEKMON, 


PREACHED 


JUNE    7,    1846, 


IN    COMMEMORATION    OF    THE 


Founding   of  the  First   Christian   Church 


IN 


NORTHBOROUGH,  MASS. 


T 


BY   WILLIAM    A.   HOUGHTON, 

Pastor  of  the  Evangelical  Congregational  Church  in  that  place. 


WORCESTER: 

PRINTED    BY    HENRY   J.    HOWLAND, 

No.    171    Main    Street. 


PREFACE 


Northborough  is  highly  favored  in  possessing  its  own  topographical  and  narrative 
history  prepared  with  much  labor,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Allen,  who  has  thus  laid  the  town 
under  great  obligations  for  his  interesting  researches.  It  is  not,  however,  a  direct 
object  of  those  researches,  to  give  a  history  of  religious  opinions  in  this  place. 
And  it  is  in  view  of  this  field,  unoccupied  except  incidentally,  that  the  author  of 
the  following  discourse  complies  with  the  request  for  its  publication.  The  history 
of  religious  opinions  is  the  history,  in  part,  of  men's  thoughts,  which  is  the  most 
important  part  of  the  history  of  the  world. 

The  author,  moreover,  represents  in  this  discourse,  a  portion  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Northborough  who  feel  called  upon  to  put  on  record,  for  future  generations, 
such  evidence  as  exists  at  this  day,  respecting  the  particular  religious  opinions  of 
the  christian  fathers  of  this  town.  Nor  in  so  doing  do  we  regard  ourselves  as  ob- 
trusive, or  arrogant  in  our  claims  of  "  succession  "  as  to  the  religious  opinions  of 
those  who  founded  a  church  in  this  place.  We  only  declare  with  others,  our 
convictions  of  truth,  and  show  as  an  historical  fact,  the  views  of  those  whom  all 
the  living  love  to  honor. 


SERMON. 


JOSHUA  22 :  28. 
Behold  the  pattern  of  the  altar  of  the  Lord  -which  our  Fathers  made- 

Many  anticipate  perfection  in  human  society  ;  and  the  present 
age  is  unparalleled  in  its  supposed  improvements  on  the  religion  of 
the  past.  We,  too,  believe  in  human  progress ;  in  the  fullest,  no- 
blest idea  of  the  phrase.  But  progress  is  a  strange  misnomer  for 
much  that  would  take  shelter  under  its  wing.  Not  every  change 
is  progress.  Were  it  so,  in  respect  to  opinions,  some  could  not  be 
far  from  the  goal  of  perfection.  But  the  progress  of  too  many  is 
like  the  wanderings  of  the  children  of  Israel  in  the  desert. 

In  religion  itself  we  hold  to  growth  in  knowledge,  as  well  as 
growth  in  grace.  We  cherish  the  noble  idea  of  the  venerable 
Robinson,  so  strangely  misapprehended  by  many.  He  did  antici- 
pate progress,  even  in  the  knowledge  of  God's  word.  But  how 
would  he  have  received  the  idea  that  what  were  to  him  "  the  first 
principles"  of  divine  revelation,  the  very  alphabet  of  the  Bible, 
would,  by  future  "  progress,"  be  subverted  ?  He  did  expect,  and 
taught  our  pilgrim  sires  to  expect,  that  "further  light"  would 
dawn  upon  truths  already  known  ;  that  new  truths  would  yet 
"  break  forth"  from  the  scriptures.  Progress  in  religion,  is,  as  in 
science,  growth,  increase,  and  not  mere  change.  The  very  idea  of 
increased  knowledge  presupposes  something  as  already  known,  as 
settled  truth.  For  if  nothing  be  settled,  then  our  present  founda- 
tions may  give  way  to  others,  and  these  to  others  still,  and  thus 
mere  change  were  the  destined  order  of  human  opinions.  But  if 
there  be  one  truth  in  the  Bible  which  we  may  rest  upon  as  estab- 
lished beyond  subversion,  then  there  may  be  two  such  or  more. 
There  are  some,  at  least,  so  plainly  revealed,  that  we  expect  no 
future  progress  will  ever  subvert  them.  They  are  an  anchor  to 
our  souls  in  all  the  winds  of  doctrine  which  come  and  go  like  un- 
certain wav.es  of  the  sea. 


The  bearing  of  these  remarks,  having  reference  not  to  men  but  to 
principles,  will  be  seen  from  the  occasion  of  this  discourse.  One 
hundred  years  have  now  elapsed  since  the  founding  of  the  first 
Christian  church  in  this  town.  A  century  ago  this  day,  reckoning 
time  by  weeks,  our  Fathers  first  met,  as  a  church,  in  the  sabbath 
congregation.  And  we  have  thought  it  suitable  to  notice  the 
hundreth  anniversary  of  that  event,  by  such  a  discourse  as  the 
present.     Note  A. 

The  text  I  use,  by  accommodation,  to  signify, 

The  essential  oneness,  in  respect  to  doctrine,  of  the  church  which 
our  Fathers  here  founded,  a  hundred  years  ago,  and  the  church 
worshipping  in  this  house  to-day. 

We  maintain  a  oneness  such  as  implies  that  there  has  been  no 
subversion,  on  our  part,  of  any  doctrine  which  our  fathers  held  to 
be  essential  to  scriptural  faith ;  and  that,  to  their  faith,  we  have 
added  nothing,  as  being  essential  to  salvation,  which  they  did  not 
hold  as  such. 

If  this  shall  be  made  to  appear,  it  will  follow,  that,  in  respect 
to  reKgious  doctrines,  we  are  not  innovators  in  this  town  ;  that 
our  altar  is  not  built  in  opposition  to  the  altar  of  our  fathers,  but 
after  the  same  pattern. 

I  proceed  then  to  the  proof,  that  the  church  which  the  fathers 
of  this  town  established  was  one  with  us  in  its  faith ;  and  that  we 
may  reply  to  any  who  say  to  u*,  "  what  trespass  is  this  that  ye 
have  committed,  in  that  you  have  builded  you  an  altar,  that  ye 
miodit  rebel  this  day  against  the  Lord,"  that  to  such  we  may  re- 
ply— "behold  the  pattern  of  the  altar  of  the  Lord  which  our  fath- 
ers made." 

I.  I  adduce,  the  known  history  of  the  New  England  congrega- 
tional churches,  one  hundred  years  ago.  These  were,  up  to  the 
middle  of  the  last  century,  probably  without  exception,  Calvinistic, 
as  to  doctrine. 

We  are  bound,  therefore,  in  failure  of  specific  evidence  to  the 
contrary,  to  conclude  that  the  church  in  this  place  was  in  full  fel- 
lowship with  those  which  received  it  into  christian  communion. 
Note  B. 

II.  The  "  Covenant"  of  the  original  church  in  this  town,  used 
through  the  whole  ministry  of  its  first  pastor,  a  period  of  twenty- 
one  years,  fully  confirms  the  statement  that  our  fathers  were  one 
with  us  in  doctrinal  belief. 


They  did  not  adopt  a  creed,  in  the  technical  use  of  that  term  . 
There  was  not,  at  that  day,  the  need  of  creeds,  as  such,  which 
now  exists.  The  "  Covenant"  itself  answered  then,  the  same  end 
that  creeds  are  designed  to  answer  now.  At  that  day,  when  men 
covenanted  to  take  the  holy  scriptures  as  the  rule  of  their  faith 
they  were  understood  by  all  as  concurring  with  the  church  which 
they  joined  in  their  belief  of  what  the  scriptures  taught  for  doctrine. 
But  when  it  came  to  pass  that  it  was  known  none  the  better  what 
a  man's  belief  was,  for  his  saying  that  he  took  the  scriptures  as  his 
rule  of  faith,  then  creeds  came  into  use  in  our  churches.  Not  to 
take  the  place  of  the  Bible,  but  to  give  a  definite  import  to  the 
language  and  act  of  the  one  professing  fellowship  with  the  body. 
To  assume  the  obligations  of  the  covenants  of  the  New  England 
congregational  churches  one  hundred  years  ago,  and  much  later, 
was  virtually  and  really,  to  profess  an  assent  to  and  a  belief  in  the 
known  orthodox  faith,  technically  so  called. 

But  be  this  admitted  or  not,  the  position  is  strictly  true  as  to 
the  covenant  of  our  fathers.  For  with  the  avowed  object  of  main- 
taining "the  true  religion,"  they  bound  themselves  by  one  article 
of  their  covenant  to  educate  their  households  in  the  doctrines  of 
"  orthodox  catechisms."  If  such  a  vow  was  not  equivalent  to  a 
declaration  of  faith  in  the  doctrines  of  these  catechisms  as  a  sum- 
maiy  of  scriptural  faith,  then  neither  language  nor  action  has  any 
signiiicance.  Thus  was  the  covenant  of  our  fathers,  virtually,  and 
in  its  effect,  really,  as  much  a  "  creed"  as  are  our  "  articles  of 
faith." 

Whatever  ambiguity  may  sometimes  pertain  to  the  words  "  ortho- 
dox" and  "  orthodoxy,"  no  question  can  be  raised  as  to  the  mean- 
ing of  the  phrase  "  orthodox  catechisms,"  as  it  occurs  in  the  cove- 
enant  referred  to.  For  it  is  well  known  that  the  catechism  used 
in  this  town  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  from  the  found- 
ing of  the  church,  was  the  Westminster  Assembly's  Catechism. 
Note  C. 

In  establishing  then,  the  essential  oneness  of  our  faith  with 
theirs,  we  need  only  to  show  its  agreement,  in  all  essential  particu- 
lars, with  the  Westminster  formulary.  Before  doing  so,  howev- 
er, I  remark,  that  all  intelligent  and  candid  minds  are  ever  ready 
to  make  a  distinction  between  the  substance  of  a  doctrine  and  any 

heory  which  may  be  adopted  to  explain  it.    I  believe  in  the  doc- 
1* 


trine  of  universal  gravitation.  The  substance  of  the  doctrine  is 
that  all  bodies  or  particles  of  matter  mutually  tend  towards  each 
other.  This  simple,  alledged  fact  is  the  doctrine.  But  as  to  the 
theory,  by  which  I  would  account  for  the  fact,  I  may  believe  that 
the  cause  of  gravitation  is  immediate,  divine  efficiency  ;  or  I  may  be- 
lieve in  the  existence  of  some  natural  law  as  the  cause,  which  is 
not  the  same  thing  as  the  immediate  energy  of  the  Almighty. 
Now  my  theory  in  either  case  may  be  true  or  false,  and  I  yet  hold 
the  real  doctrine  of  universal  gravitation. 

A  religious  doctrine  also  is  an  alledged  fact.  And  in  respect  to 
to  a  belief  of  the  doctrinal  facts  which  the  faith  of  our  fathers  em- 
braced, we  claim  to  be  one  with  them  in  such  doctrines  as  they 
held  to  be  essential  to  scriptural  faith.  As  to  theories  designed 
to  explain  or  account  for  these  doctrinal  facts,  we  may  or  may  not 
differ  from  them.  We  may  have  made  progress  or  we  may  not 
have  done  so  ;  at  any  rate,  we  believe  there  may  be  progress  in 
these  respects,  and  yet  some  truths  remain  unchanged  and  un- 
changable. 

My  limits  allow  only  a  specification  of  such  doctrines  as  are  the 
most  important. 

1.  Our  fathers  believed  as  we  do,  in  the  unity  of  God. 

"  One  only,  the  living  and  true  God,"  is  the  language  in  which 
they  taught  their  children.  Such  is  our  belief.  God  as  a  Being,  is 
one,  and  one  only.  Nor  can  charity  itself  well  excuse  such  as 
affirm  that  we  believe  differently. 

2.  The  founders  of  the  first  church  in  this  town  were  Trinita- 
rians. They  held  that  "  the  Father,  the  "Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost, 
are  one  God,  the  same  in  substance,  ecmal  in  power  and  glory."' 
Thus  they  taught  their  children,  and  for  this  end,  viz.  that  the 
"  true  religion"  might  be  maintained  while  they  should  live,  and 
among  such  as  should  live  when  they  were  dead.  Nor  was  their 
hope  vain.  God  has  remembered  his  covenant,  and  blessed  their 
children  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generations.  And  though  they 
are  dead,  the  doctrine  of  the  adorable  Trinity  is  still  maintained  in 
this  place.  Our  faith  embraces  it.  Our  hearts  love  it.  Our 
souls  adore  the  incomprehensible  Jehovah  thus  manifested  to  his 
creatures.  And  any  "progress"  which  discards  a  doctrine  so 
plainly  revealed  in  the  Bible,  simply  because  we  cannot  comprehend 
such  a  mode  of  divine  existence,  is  itself  discarded  by  us. 


3.  Our  fathers  believed  as  we  do  as  to  the  divine  and  human 
nature  of  Jesus  Christ. 

They  believed  that  he  "  was  and  continues  to  be  God  and  man 
in  two  distinct  natures  and  one  person  forever."  In  other  words, 
they  held,  with  us  that  "  the  Word  was  God  "  and  "  the  Word  was 
made  flesh.  "Great,"  indeed, "  is  the  mystery  of  godliness ;  God  was 
manifest  in  the  flesh,  justified  in  the  spirit,  seen  of  angels,  preached 
unto  the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in  the  world,  received  up  into 
glory."  But  it  was  enough  for  our  fathers,  and  is  enough  for  us 
that  such  a  truth  is  revealed  in  the  Bible.     Note  D. 

4.  Our  fathers  believed  as  we  do  in  the  entire  sinfulness  of  all 
men  in  an  unregenerate  state. 

The  substance  of  this  doctrine  is,  that  all  men  are,  before  con- 
version, wholly  destitute  of  moral  goodness,  and,  in  all  moral  char- 
acter wholly  and  positively  sinful.  The  theory  by  which  the  As- 
sembly's Catechism  would  explain  this  doctrine,  or  account  for  the 
existence  of  such  a  fact,  is  wholly  seperate  from  the  fact  itself. 
Nor  were  any  specific  explanations  of  this  kind  ever  made  essen- 
tial to  "  orthodoxy."  But  the  doctrinal  fact  has  ever  been  re- 
garded, by  evangelical  sects,  as  essential  to  scriptual  faith.  That 
the  catechism  recognizes  this  fact  none  will  deny.  And  in  this, 
which  is  the  substance  of  the  doctrine,  we  are  one  with  our  fathers. 

5.  We  are  one  with  our  fathers  in  our  belief  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  atonement. 

The  great  doctrinal  fact  which  their  formulary  of  faith  asserts 
in  respect  to  this  doctrine,  and  in  which  all  evangelical  sects  a^ree 
is,  that  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ  are,  by  the  appointment 
of  God,  the  procuring  cause,  the  ground  or  reason,  in  view  of 
which  he  bestows  pardon  on  the  penitent  and  believing.  Such  is 
the  doctrinal  fact.  And  this  alone,  is  now,  and  was  with  our 
fathers,  essential  to  "  orthodoxy  "  on  this  point.  Different  theories 
have  been  adopted  at  different  times  to  explain  the  manner  in 
which  the  atonement  becomes  effectual.  But  in  no  theory  which 
has  prevailed  among  orthodox  christians,  so  called,  has  the  idea 
ever  been  wanting,  that  sins  are  forgiven  "for  Christ's  sake,"  or 
on  account  of  what  Christ  has  suffered.     Note  E. 

This  doctrine  of  an  expiatory  sacrifice,  or  vicarious  suffering  on 
the  part  of  Christ,  is  directly  opposed  to  that  which  makes  "  re- 
pentance the  ground  of  forgiveness."     Eepentance  is  the  condition 


s 

forgiveness,  but  not  the  meritorious  ground  of  it.  Pardon  is 
promised  on  condition  of  repentance ;  hence  many  mistake  the 
condition  which  is  to  be  complied  with  by  us,  for  the  procuring 
cause  of  pardon,  which  is  the  atonement  of  Christ.  Repentance 
is  not  an  atonement.  It  is  a  renunciation  and  hatred  of  sin.  But 
the  atonement  sustains  the  divine  law  whilst  its  incurred  penalty 
is  withheld  from  the  transgressor,  so  that  God  can  now  "  be  just 
and  the  justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus,"  which  implies, 
plainly,  that  without  such  a  "  propitiation "  God  would  not  be 
just  in  justifying  even  the  penitent.  Thus  has  the  atonement  of 
Christ  not  only  a  moral  and  persuasive  power,  inducing  us  to  be 
reconciled  to  God,  to  be  "  at-one  "  with  him,  but  it  has  also  a  sac- 
rificial efficacy,  and  becomes  a  proper  "  propitiation  for  sin." 

Such  is  our  faith.  And  such  was  the  faith  of  the  christian 
fathers  of  this  town.  Nor  in  proof  of  this  are  we  left  to  the  for- 
mulary of  faith  which  they  adopted.  As  their  highest  tribute  to 
the  memory  of  their  first  pastor,  whose  ministry  they  had  enjoyed 
almost  a  quarter  of  a  century,  they  inscribed  on  his  monument,  to 
be  read  in  succeeding  generations,  as'a  testimony  to  his  soundness 
in  the  faith,  and  as  evidence  of  the  ground  of  their  own  hope,  that 
he  was  an  "  eminent  preacher  of  the  great  Redemption  by  Jesus 
Christ."  That  this  language  expressed  to  all,  one  hundred  years 
ago,  the  idea  which  we  have  stated  concerning  the  atonement  of 
Christ,  none  can  doubt.  And  on  this  doctrine  especially  did  our 
fathers  found  a  church  here,  for  the  maintenance  of  "  the  true  re- 
ligion." They  knew  of  "  other  foundations,"  though  other  "  can 
no  man  lay."  But  "the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets, 
Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief  corner  stone,"  was  theirs. 
And  through  fidelity  on  their  part,  according  to  their  covenant,  in 
household  religion,  has  this  same  "  corner  stone  "  of  our  hopes  for 
eternity  been  preserved  to  us.  And  we  trust  that  God  is  here 
rearing  a  superstructure  thereupon.  Be  this  so,  however,  or  not, 
we  know  it  will  arise. 

"  Thou  dying  Lamb  ;  thy  precious  blood 

Shall  never  lose  its  power, 
Till  all  the  ransomed  church  of  God, 
Are  saved  to  sin  no  more." 

In  all  ages  hath  such  a  redemption  for  sinners  stood  forth  in  the 
oracles  of  God  for  the  comfort  and  peace  of  the  believer  in  Jesus. 
All  other  foundations  have,  in  numberless  cases,  failed  the  soul  in 


the  hour  of  trial  and  death.  But  this,  never.  Men  may  die  calmly 
in  the  belief  of  fatal  error.  But  sometimes  their  hope  will  fail. 
Not  thus  with  any  of  all  the  thousands  who  by  faith  in  Christ  have 
sought  "  redemption  through  his  blood."  Who,  having  thus  received 
him,  ever  renounced  such  a  ground  of  hope,  in  death  !  Here  then 
we  proffer  you,  my  hearers,  by  the  word  of  God,  and  by  the  expe- 
rience of  all  ages,  a  sure  foundation,  We  commend  it  to  you,  not 
because  our  fathers  received  it ;  not  because  the  christian  church 
has,  in  all  ages  received  it,  but  because  God  hath  so  set  the  Savior 
forth  "  to  be  a  propitiation  for  the  remission  of  sins." 

My  impenitent  friend,  what  a  fitness  is  there  for  your  necessi- 
ties, in  "  the  Lamb  of  God  that  takethaway  the  sins  of  the  world.' 
True,  men  may  abuse  even  the  grace  of  the  gospel.  Some  do  sin 
because  grace  abounds.  So  it  would  be  in  this  apostate  world,  on 
any  scheme  of  divine  compassion.  Let  not  therefore  "  the  glorious 
gospel  of  the  blessed  God  "  become  to  you  "  a  savor  of  death  unto 
death."  Lost  you  certainly  are,  without  cordial  faith  in  the  Savior. 
"  He  that  believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of 
God  abideth  on  him."  Such  is  the  declaration  of  the  compassion- 
ate Redeemer.  Look  unto  him  then  in  faith,  with  repentance  to- 
wards God,  and  be  ye  saved.  You  need  such  a  Savior.  Your 
sins,  unprevented  by  divine  interference,  would  prostrate  that  holy 
law  on  which  hangs  the  happiness  of  earth  and  heaven.  That 
law, ''just  and  good,"  knows  not  of  forgiveness  but  through  a 
Savior.  But  in  him  there  is  pardon  for  the  chief  of  sinners. 
You  need  not  reap  in  the  world  to  come  the  appropriate  fruit  of 
your  sins.  There  is  a  deliverer.  There  is  deliverance.  "  Be- 
hold the  Lamb  of  God."  His  blood  "  cleanseth  from  all  sin.'' 
Wait  not  till  death,  the  judgment  and  eternity  shall  awaken  your 
sluggish  soul  too  late,  to  a  realizing  sense  of  what  it  is  to  have 
"  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant  an  unholy  thing."  Turn  now 
by  "repentance  towards  God  and  faith  towards  our  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ,"  and  peace  of  soul  shall  be  yours  on  earth :  and  in 
heaven,  rest  with  all  the  pious  dead,  in  the  presence  of  God  and 
the  Lamb. 

III.  Another  source  of  evidence  that  the  church  which  our 
fathers  here  established  was  of  the  same  specific  faith  which  we 
hold,  is  the  well  authenticated  views  of  their  first  minister. 

Though  we  had  no  reason  for  doubts  respecting  the  particular, 


10 

faith  of  the  Rev.  John  Martyn,  first  minister  of  Northborough,— 
so  explicit  is  traditionary  testimony  and  the  inscription  on  his  mon- 
ument,— yet  we  feared  that  specific  evidence,  in  his  own  name,  as 
to  his  jmrticular  doctrinal  faith,  could  not  be  obtained.  But  I 
have  the  satisfaction  and  pleasure  of  exhibiting  to  you  to-day,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Martyn's  old  "  study  Bible."  Venerable  relic  of  a  de- 
voted servant  of  its  great  Author.  Over  it,  no  doubt,  have  been 
offered  up  many  prayers  and  supplications,  with  strong  crying  and 
tears,  that  God  would  remember  his  promise,  and  bless,  to  the  latest 
Generations,  the  seed  of  his  children  who  here  entered  into  cove- 
nant with  him  and  one  another,  for  the  maintenance  of  the  truth 
as  it  is  in  Jesus.  On  the  blank  leaves  of  this  Bible,  on  the  mar- 
gins, and  between  the  lines  are  found  in  Mr.  Martyn's  own  elegant 
hand,  annotations,  remarks  and  inferences,  which  evince  most 
clearly  his  particular  religious  sentiments,  and  exhibit  attainments 
in  sacred  literature  and  biblical  learning,  most  honorable  to  the 
ministry  of  New  England  one  hundred  years  ago.  From  the  ev- 
idence which  appears  in  his  bible,  we  are  constrained  to  believe 
that  it  was  not  in  mere  compliment  that  his  people  inscribed  upon 
his  monument,  that  he  was  an  "  eminent "  preacher  of  the  great 
Redemption.     Note  F. 

But  my  design  is  to  exhibit  Mr.  Martyn's  specific  faith.  It  is 
necessary,  however,  in  order  to  give  to  his  testimony  its  full  force 
upon  the  opposing  views  which  now  exist,  to  call  to  mind  the  re- 
ligious history  of  his  own  times. 

"  About  the  year  1734,"  says  President  Edwards,  "  began  the 
great  noise  that  was  in  this  part  of  the  country,  about  Arminian- 
ism."  Arminianism,  not  now  represented  by  any  one  denomina- 
tion, denied  particularly  what  are  termed  "  the  doctrines  of  grace." 
The  great  metaphysical  error  which  President  Edwards  publicly 
controverted  in  Mr.  Martyn's  day,  was  the  Arminian  view  of 
"  moral  liberty,"  or  such  a  freedom  of  the  human  will,  as  leaves  all 
volitions  contingent  or  uncertain.  Mr.  Martyn  understood  the 
subject  matter  of  this  controversy.  On  a  blank  leaf  in  his  bible, 
he  says,  "  the  disputes  in  Holland  between  the  Calvinists  and  Ar- 
minians  were  upon  these  five  points,  viz.  Election,  Redemption, 
Original  sin,  Effectual  grace,  and  Perseverance."  In  another  place 
he  says,  "  against  the  doctrine  of  free  will  as  taught  by  the  Armi- 
nians,  N.  B.  the  following  passages  of  scripture,  for  whilst  they 


11 

are  acknowledged  to  be  canonical  they  will  forever  fly  in  the  face 
of  such  pernicious  doctrines  ;  viz.  Gen.  6  :  5.  Jer.  17  :  9.  Jn. 
3:  6.  6:  24.  15:  5.  Rom.  9  :  16.  1  Cor.  15:  10.  2  Cor. 
3  :  5." 

Mr.  Martyn's  ministry  was  from  1746  to  17G7,  in  the  beginning 
of  the  second  century  of  New  England   ecclesiastical  history,  and 
including  the  very  period  of  the  great  Arminian    controversy. 
Many  influences  had  long  been  preparing  the  churches  for  the  de- 
velop\ments  that  were  made  in  his  day.     One  which  began  to  op- 
erate early  in  their  history,  was  the  restriction  by  the  old  colony 
laws,  of  the   right  of  suffrage,  to  members  of  the  church.     Men 
were  thus  influenced  by  political  motives  to  profess  religion.  Anoth- 
er instrument  of  calamitous  influence,  was  the  old  "  half  way  cov- 
enant."    Those  who  had  been  baptized  in  infancy,  were  at  a  suit- 
able age,  if  of  a  correct  outward  life,  called  upon  to  u  own  the  cov- 
enant."    This  did  not  admit  them  to  the  Lord's  Supper,  but  en- 
titled their  children  to  baptism,  whilst  they  themselves  were  un- 
derstood to  have  some  indefinite  relation  to   the  church.     And  in 
this  "  half  way  "  profession  of  religion,  men  rested.     Few  came 
into  full  communion.     And  this   result  led  to  another  expedient. 
Men  confessedly  unconverted,  were  admitted  to  the  sacrament  of 
the  Lord's  Supper.     The  ordinance  was  regarded,  in  their  case, 
as  "  a  means  of  regeneration."     Thousands   came  to  the  table  of 
Christ.     But  Zion  was  not  enlarged.     Her  wasting  was  increased. 
Her  watchmen  saw  it.     And  some  of  them  lifted  up  their  voice. 
Cotton  Mather,  ever  to  be  had  in  grateful  remembrance  in  the 
churches  of  New  England,   declared,  in  view  of  some  of  these 
measures,  and  their  result,  that  if  things  should  go  on  thus  for  for- 
ty years,  churches  would  be  gathered  out  of  churches.     He  under- 
stood human  nature,  and  the  tendency  of  principles.     He  was  mis- 
taken in  this  case  only  as  to  the  time  when  these  things  should  be. 
Such  were  some  of  the  influences  which  were  about  coming  to 
a  crisis,  when  a  branch  of  Christ's  church  was  established  in  this 
town.     They  were  the  remote  causes  of  the  errors  which  followed, 
But  an  immediate  occasion  of  the  developement  of  the   errors  for 
which  the  churches  had  been   so  long   preparing,  and  which  ap- 
peared in  Mr.  Martyn's  dav,  was  the  great  revivals  that  occured 
under  the  preaching  of  Whitfield  and  Edwards.     For  a  long  time 
^h  ere  had  been  only  occasional  "  awakenings."     The  Holy  Spirit 


12 

seemed  to  be  very  generally  withdrawn.  But  the  ten  years  pro- 
ceeding Mr.  Martyn's  ministry,  were  made  memorable  by  unusual 
visitations  of  divine  grace,  which  were  like  the  candle  of  the  Lord 
amidst  his  churches.  Nothing  reveals  human  hearts  like  revivals 
of  religion.  The  all-searching  Spirit  of  God  is  then  specially 
present.  And  satan  too,  feeling  then  that  his  time  is  short  as  to 
many  whom  he  has  led  captive  at  his  will,  comes  down  upon  the 
earth,  "  having  great  wrath."  He  enrages  the  wicked,  tempts 
christians  to  distrust  the  works  of  the  Spirit ;  and  some  who^ould 
do  God  service,  he  hurries  on  to  monstrous  extravagances.  Such 
excresences  attached  themselves  to  the  revivals  just  mentioned. 
And  yet  after  all  reasonable  allowances,  it  is  estimated  that  in 
one  of  them,  there  were,  in  the  space  of  two  years,  more  than 
thirty  thousand  hopeful  conversions  in  New  England  alone.  To 
human  appearance  these  revivals  were  the  salvation  of  our  Amer- 
ican Zion.  All  evangelical  denominations  shared  in  their  glori- 
ous result.     Note  G. 

Such  were  the  revivals.  But  the  extravagances  which  attended 
them  afforded  a  pretext  to  those  who  desiied  one,  for  an  opposi- 
tion to  the  revivals  themselves.  And  too  many  who  would  not 
knowingly  have  opposed  any  work  of  divine  grace,  failed  to  dis- 
tinguish between  the  operations  of  the  Spirit  and  mere  animal  ex- 
citements. Because  tares  grew  among  the  wheat,  they  were 
slow  to  acknowledge  God  as  the  author  of  the  harvest.  Others 
also  had  come  into  the  church  in  its  great  declension,  who,  it  is 
to  be  feared,  not  only  never  "saw  it  on  this  wise,"  but  who  had 
never  felt  in  their  own  souls,  the  power  of  God.  The  revivals 
came,  and  the  thoughts  of  many  hearts  were  revealed.  "Armin- 
ianism  "  became  a  general  designation,  not  only  for  the  views 
which  rejected  particularly  "  the  doctrines  of  grace,"  so  called, 
but  for  various  forms  of  heterodoxy.  The  denial  of  the  entire 
sinfulness  of  mankind  in  their  natural  state,  of  the  necessity  of 
the  Spirit's  influence  in  conversion,  of  Christ's  supreme  divinity, 
of  the  vicarious  nature  of  the  atonement,  prevailed  more  or  less 
extensively.  These  various  doctrines  had  not  then  been  resolved 
into  any  definite  system.     Note  H. 

Such  was  the  state  of  religious  opinions  in  New  England,  Avhen 
Mr.  Martyn  was  called  to  a  defence  of  the  gospel.     And  knowing 
the  history  of  that  day,  we  may  judge  more  intelligently  of  they 
testimony  which  follows. 


13 

Mr.  Martyn  had  no  intention,  of  course,  of  expressing  bis  creed 
on  the  margins  of  his  Bible.  Yet  on  most  of  the  important  doc- 
trines of  religion  we  find  here  his  belief  unequivocally  expressed. 

1.  As  to  the  Scriptures.  Between  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments, Mr.  Martyn  writes,  "  N.  B.  Christianity  is  no  innovation, 
but  a  (perfection  of  the  old  religion ; — for  in  the  old,  there  is  a 
close  comprehension  of  the  new,  and  in  the  new  an  open  discovery 
of  the  old."  With  the  first  minister  of  Northborough,  "  the  Bible," 
and  "the  Word  of  God,"  were  phrases  of  one  and  the  same  signi- 
fication. With  him  the  Bible  was  not  only  "  a  good  book,"  "  an 
imcomparable  book,"  "  the  book,"  par  excellence  ;  it  was  the  very 
word  of  Jehovah.  Nor  was  the  Old  Testament,  in  his  esteem,  a 
collection  of  Hebrew  Literature,  as  such ;  it  was  not  merely  a 
"  record  of  the  Jewish  religion,"  it  was  the  Word  of  God  which  the 
Savior  commanded  men  to  search  as  testifying  of  himself.  It  was 
the  Scriptures  of  truth  which  the  noble  Bereans  searched  for  the 
proof  of  Christianity  itself.  And  so  long  as  Christ's  own  words  rec- 
ognize, by  name,  "Moses,"  and  "  the  prophets  and  the  Psalms," as 
the  very  word  of  God,  so  long  shall  we  prefer  the  faith  of  the  christ- 
ian fathers  of  this  town,  to  any  "  progress"  that  makes  the  Bible 
anything  less  than  the  divinely  inspired  word  of  the  living  God. 

2.  As  to  the  Ti'inity  of  the  Godhead,  Mr.  Martin's  views  are 
explicit. 

On  Math.  28 :  19,  "  Baptising  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  of 
the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  he  remarks  thus,  "  name  and  not 
names,  to  show  the  equality  of  the  three  Persons."  On  1  Jn.  5  :  7. 
"  There  are  three  that  bear  record  in  Heaven,  the  Father,  the 
Word  and  the  Holy  Ghost,"  he  says,  "  in  Essence,  in  Being  and 
in  Deity."  Again,  on  the  same,  "  this  verse  being  quoted  verba- 
tim, by  St.  Cyprian  who  lived  in  the  middle  of  the  third  century, 
i3  a  plain  demonstration  that  it  was  not  inserted  by  Athanasius 
who  flourished  in  the  fourth  century." 

To  the  foregoing  I  add,  as  evidence  in  point,  that  Mr.  Martyn 
has  copied  in  his  Bible,  the  Athanasian  creed,  the  body  of  which  is 
a  rigid  defence  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  ;  and  he  accompanies 
it  with  the  following  remark,  viz :  "  this  creed  was  received 
through  almost  all  the  western  churches  and  bears  the  name  of 
Athanasian,  because  it  contains  the  orthodox  faith,  which  went  by 
that  name  in  contradistinction  of  the  rest  which  were  under  their 
2 


14 

heads,  as  Arians,  Apollinarians,  &c."  Arians  denied  Christ's  su- 
preme divinity  ;  Apollinarians  denied  his  humanity,  and  Nestori- 
ans  were  understood  as  denying  the  real  union  of  the  divine  and 
human  natures  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ.  "  The  orthodox 
faith"  included,  in  Mr.  Martyn's  view,  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity. 

3.  Mr.  Martyn  held  the  doctrine  of  the  Supreme  divinity  and 
proper  humanity  of  Jesus  Christ. 

To  the  genealogy  of  Christ  as  given  by  Luke,  he  adds,  "  Hence 
the  humanity  and  divinity  of  our  Savior,  is  proved." 

The  following  remarks  accompany  the  following  passages.  Jn. 
8  :  58,  "  Before  Abraham  was,  I  am."  "  Hence  the  union  of  two 
natures  in  Jesus  Christ  is  proved."  Jn.  2  :  24,  "  He  knew  all 
men."  "  Hence  his  Godhead  is  proved."  Rev.  20  :  6,  "  They 
shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ."  "  Hence  his  Divinity  is 
proved."  Heb.  1  :  3,  "Upholding  all  things  by  the  word  of  his 
power."  " Hence  his  Eetmity"  He  who  upholds  all  things 
must  surely  have  existed  before  the  things  which  he  upholds.  And 
we  may  add,  must  also  be  Almighty.  Mark  2:  11,  "I  say  unto 
thee  arise,"  &c.  "  Hence  he  is  God  as  well  as  man."  Mark  13  :  32, 
"  Of  that  day  knoweth  no  man — neither  the  Son,  but  the  Father." 
"That  is,  the  Messiah,  not  the  second  person"  (of  the  Trinity.) 
Mat.  4:  3,  "  If  thou  be  the  Son  of  God  command  that  these  stones 
be  made  bread."  "  By  thy  own  absolute  power  as  God.  Hence 
the  Devil  understood  by  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God,  the  same  as 
the  true  and  living  God."  Jn.  10 :  30,  •'  I  and  my  Father  are 
one."  "  Not  in  purpose  only  but  in  reality  and  sameness,  as  the 
Jews  understood  him,  else  they  would  not  undertake  to  stone  him, 
for  so  was  their  faith  at  that  time." 

1  Jn.  5 :  20,  *<  This  is  the  true  God  and  Eternal  life."  Here 
Mr.  Martyn  makes  a  marginal  reference  to  Isaiah  44 :  6.  "  Thus 
saith  the  Lord — I  am  the  first,  I  am  the  last,  and,  besides  me  there 
is  no  God."  He  understood,  most  evidently,  that,  if  Isaiah  affirmed 
of  Jehovah  that  he  was  the  only  God,  and  John  affirmed  of  Christ 
that  he  was  the  true  God,  then  Christ  and  the  Father  were  one  be- 
ing, whether  men  could  understand  or  not  how  it  should  be  so. 
In  another  place  he  remarks,  "  let  Christian  Divines  be  content  to 
explain  what  they  understand ;  to  adore  what  they  understand  not ; 
and  to  leave  in  mystery  all  that  Christ  and  his  apostles  have  left 
80."     On  Isa.  9:6,    "  Unto  us  a  child  is  born — and  his  name 


15 


shall  be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  Mighty  God,"  &c. 
he  says ;  « to  be  born  a  child  and  to  be  the  mighty  God  is  abso- 
lutely impossible  and  contrary  in  itself,  except  we  acknowledge 
Christ's  hypostatical  union,  that  he  is  God  as  well  as  man."  By 
hypostatical  union  he  means  the  real  union  of  the  divine  and  human 
natures  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ.  Again,  Iio.  9:5,"  Of 
whom,  as  concerning  the  flesh,  Christ  came,  who  is  over  all,  God 
blessed  forever."  On  the  margin  of  the  passage  Mr.  Martyn  has 
simply,  but  significantly  written  "  N.  B."  We  say  amen  ;  let  all 
mark  it  well ;  "  Christ  over  all,  God  blessed  forever." 

Again,  Jn.  20  :  28.  "  Thomas  saith  unto  him,  ray  Lord  and 
my  God."  On  this  he  says  "  no  man  can  rightly  receive  the  Me- 
diator as  Lord,  if  he  does  not  acknowledge  him  as  God."  Again, 
1  Jn.  5  :  20,  before  referred  to,  "  this  is  the  true  God  and  eternal 
life,"  here  we  find  the  following  remarks  ;  "  His  being  the  true  God  is 
absolutely  necessary  to  his  having  eternal  life  in  himself  originally, 
and  the  text  may  be  called  the  death  of  Arianism  and  Socinianism  ; 
and  the  connexion  of  the  next  verse,  to  both  Arians  and  Socini- 
ans  and  all  those  who  deny  the  things  contained  in  the  20th  verse." 

4.  Of  the  Holy  Spirit.  First,  of  its  personality  in  distinction  from 
an  "  influence."  Acts  13:2.  "  The  Holy  Ghost  said  separate  me 
Barnabas  and  Saul  for  the  work  whereunto  I  have  called  them.'' 
To  this  Mr.  Martyn  subjoins,  "  me,  I,  ergo  "  (therefore)  "he  is  a 
person.u  Again,  Rev.  8  :  27.  He  that  searcheth  the  heart  knoweth 
what  is  the  mind  of  the  spirit."  "  Mind,"  says  Martyn,  "  ergo  he 
is  a  person." 

Secondly,  as  to  the  office  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Jn.  3 :  G,  "  That 
which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  Spirit."  Mr.  Martyn  adds,  "  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  the  great  agent  which  worketh  this  change"  (the 
new  birth)  "  in  men  and  none  else." 

5.  Mr.  Martyn  held  the  doctrine  of  a  vicarious  atonement. 

In  view  of  Acts  20  :  28,  "  to  feed  the  church  of  God  which  he 
hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood ;"  he  says,  "  hence  is  proved  a 
true  satisfaction  and  not  a  moral  one,  as  Socinians  say."  The  So- 
cinian  idea  of  the  atonement  is,  that  it  consists  in  the  moral  pow- 
er of  Christ's  death  as  being  adapted  and  designed  to  lead  us  to 
repentance.  Mr.  Martyn  believed,  of  course,  in  such  an  influence, 
but  this  was  not,  in  his  view,  the  atonement.  By  a  "  true  satis- 
faction," he  evidently  means  such  an  influence  as  satisfies,  sustains 


1G 

or  upholds  the  law  of  God,  whilst  yet  He  bestows  pardon  on  the 
penitent  transgressor.  Again,  Luke  22  :  19.  "  This  do  in  remem- 
brance of  me."  On  this  passage  we  find  the  following  note  ;  "  i.  e. 
acknowledging  that  salvation  which  is  through  me,  both  as  I  am 
the  atonement  for  sin  and  a  principle  of  life  to  all  those  that  lay 
hold  of  me  by  faith.  W.  Law  387."  In  another  place  is  the 
following,  "  that  Christ  has  fullness  of  merit  of  infinite  value  to 
purchase  reconciliation  and  acceptance  both  of  our  person  and  ser- 
vices, together  with  an  everlasting  inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of 
Heaven,  see  Dan.  9  :  24.  Jn.  17:  2.  Hebs.  9  :  12.  10:  14. 
Eph.  5:  12.     Ro.  3:  24.  5:  9." 

6.  Mr.  Martyn  held,  as  we  do,  the  doctrinal  fact  of  the  entire 
sinfulness  of  all  men  in  an  unregenerate  state. 

From  his  remarks,  it  is  probable  that  he  adopted  the  prevalent 
theory  of  that  day  respecting  the  manner  in  which  such  a  result 
comes  to  pass.  But  this  theory,  as  we  have  before  illustrated,  is 
no  part  of  the  doctrinal  fact. 

On  Ps.  51  :  5,  "  Behold  I  was  shapen  in  iniquity,"  &c.  and 
Job  14  :  4,  "  Who  can  bring  a  clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean,"  he 
remarks  thus  ;  "  hence  original  sin  in  infants  is  proved."  Jas.  2  : 
10,  "  Whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  law  and  yet  offend  in  one 
point  is  guilty  of  all ;"  to  this  he  adds,  "  in  Adam."  Hebs.  9  :  22, 
"Without  the  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  remission;"  to  this  he 
adds,  "  for  original  and  actual  sins."     Again,  he  interlines  1  Jn. 

1  :  8  and  10,  so  as  to  read  thus  :  "  if  we  say  we  have  no  ('  orig- 
inal') sin,  we  deceive  ourselves."  "If  we  say  we  have  not  sin- 
ned ('  actually')  we  make  him  a  liar."  None  will  say,  we  think, 
that  Mr.  Martyn  held  less  than  the  entire  sinfulness  of  all  men  in 
an  unregenerate  state. 

7.  He  held  the  Calvinistic  view  of  the  divine  purposes.     On 

2  Thes.  2  :  13,  he  says,  "  hence  God's  decrees  are  both  of  the 
means  and  the  end."  In  another  place  he  says,  "  the  doctrine  of 
predestination  is  proved,  that  we  should  be  holy." 

8.  He  believed  in  the  doctrine  of  the  saints  perseverance. 

In  one  place  he  says,  "  here  perseverance  is  proved.  Blessed 
news."  And  the  note  last  recorded  in  his  Bible  is  this,  "  the  bless- 
ed and  comforting  doctrine  of  the  perseverance  of  the  saints  is 
plainly  promised  in  the  word  of  God  to  all  those  happy  ones  who 
have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  and  they  can  never  perish." 


9.  Mr.  Martyn  recognizes  in  several  instances  the  doctrines  of 
a  future  judgment  and  eternal  rewards  and  punishment. 

In  view  of  the  sublime  and  awful  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ  as 
recorded  in  the  25th  chapter  of  Matthew's  gospel,  he  says,  "  Here 
our  Savior  is  not  considered  as  a  Redeemer,  an  High  Priest,  as 
glorifying  the  riches  of  his  love  and  mercy,  or  as  justifying  the 
ungodly  ;  no,  but  as  a  Judge — proceeding  according  to  the  rules  of 
distributive  and  remunerative  justice."  On  Mark  3:  29,  "He 
that  shall  blaspheme  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  hath  never  forgive- 
ness, but  is  in  danger  of  eternal  damnation,"  he  remarks  ;.  "  is  sub- 
ject of." 

Without  any  further  specification,  I  add  one  more  quotation, 
which  evinces  not  only  Mr.  Martyn's  "  orthodoxy,"  but  also  his 
strict  Calvinism.  It  follows  Ro.  8  :  29,  SO,  "  For  whom  he  did  fore- 
know he  also  did  predestinate,"  &c.  "  Hence,"  says  Mr.  Martyn, 
"absolute  election,  particular  redemption,  effectual  calling,  free  jus- 
tification, and  eternal  glorification  is  pi'oved."  Such  was  the 
faith  of  the  first  minister  of  Northborough,  whom  his  much  afflicted 
people  in  his  death,  style  "  an  eminent  preacher  of  the  great  Re- 
demption by  Jesus  Christ."  Nor  was  his  faith  drawn  from  Cal- 
vin, or  Augustine,  or  any  other  human  authority.  We  find  it  here 
as  deductions  of  his  own,  from  the  Word  of  God  itself.  And  yet  it 
is  Calvinism,  so  called,  not  because  Mr.  Martyn  followed  Calvin, 
but  because  Calvin  adhered  to  the  Bible  in  its  great  doctrinal 
facts,  and,  as  it  happened,  had  his  name  attached  to  that  system 
of  faith  which  so  great  a  portion  of  the  christian  world  receive  as 
being  contained  in  the  word  of  God. 

We  have  thus  shown  what  was  the  religious  faith  of  the  church 
first  established  in  this  town,  and  the  faith  of  its  first  Pastor.  We 
have  shown  also  wherein  we  are  one  with  them  in  the  most  im- 
portant doctrines  of  the  Bible.  And  by  the  maintenance  of  such 
doctrines,  while  they  should  live,  did  they  hope  that  "  the  true  re- 
ligion "  would  be  maintained  here  in  succeeding  generations . 
They  are  dead.  We  live  after  them.  And  let  us  bless  the  cove- 
nant faithfulness  of  our  Father's  God,  who  has  not  suffered  these 
glorious  doctrines  of  grace  to  become  extinct  in  this  community. 
Nor  shall  they,  God  helping  us,  die  in  our  hands.  They  are  our 
hope,  our  peace,  our  rejoicing.  For  the  praise  and  glory  of  God's 
grace  ;  for  the  salvation  of  souls  for  whom   Christ  died,  we  will 


not,  my  brethren,  cease  to  uphold  and  proclaim  this  "  glorious 
gospel  of  the  blessed  God  ;"  these  doctrines  of  hope  for  lost  men. 
Nor  stand  we  alone  in  their  support  and  defence.  Before  this 
church  was  formed,  another  band  of  believers  in  the  same  great 
truths,  differing  from  us  only  in  the  form  of  an  external  rite,  raised 
here  the  attracting  standard  of  the  cross,  and  unfurled  their  ban- 
ners inscribed  with  the  glorious  doctrines  of  the  Bible  and  the 
Reformation.  Our  joy  shall  be  in  their  prosperity,  and  in  their 
adversity  our  prayer. 

Do  any  ask  why  we  make  our  altar  after  the  pattern  of  that 
which  our  fathers  made  ?  We  answer,  not  because  they  made 
their  altar  thus.  We  delight  in  following  them  only  so  far  as  they 
followed  the  Bible.  Far  from  us,  however,  to  reject  a  doctrine 
because  it  is  old.  And  as  far  be  it  from  us  to  receive  it  for  this 
reason.  But  there  is  nothing  repugnant  to  us  in  receiving  as  the 
unchanging  truth  of  God,  old  doctrines,  which  have  sustained 
Apostles,  Prophets,  Patriarchs,  and  the  faithful  of  all  ages,  by 
their  own  divine  energy.  Believing  therefore,  that  our  fathers 
made  their  altar  after  the  pattern  which  the  Lord  commanded, 
we  rejoice  to  walk,  so  far,  in  their  steps. 

And  now  there  comes  to  us  all,  a  voice  from  the  past ;  from  the 
dead,  who  yet  speak.  Fathers,  hear  you  not  this  day  the  voice 
of  your  own  godly  sires  ;  and  in  your  remembrance  of  them  forget 
you  their  testimony  to  the  piety  and  godliness  of  their  fathers  who 
reared  here  an  altar  to  the  living  God  ?  Let  the  remembrance  of 
such  an  ancestry  inspire  your  own  hearts  with  renewed  zeal  for 
the  honor  of  your  fathers'  God.  A  few  days  more  are  yet  allot- 
ted you.  May  their  God  be  yours  ;  and  may  your  God  be  ours. 
Another  century  and  you,  fathers  and  mothers  in  Israel,  will  be  to 
other  generations,  as  those  who  raised  the  gospel  banners  in  this 
town  are  to  us.  And  0,  may  your  names  be  had  here  in  ever- 
lasting remembrance.  May  your  memory  be  as  precious  to  the 
bearers  of  the  gospel  standand  then,  as  is  the  memory  of  those 
who  first  covenanted  together  here  for  the  maintenance  of  the  truth 
as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

Brethren,  now  in  the  midst  of  life,  what  does  the  voice  of  the 
past  century  demand  of  us  ?  Not  merely  to  cherish  the  memory 
of  our  sires  and  a  pious  ancestry.  The  voice  of  three  generations, 
summoned,  within  one  short  century,  from  the  places  which  we 


19 

now  occupy  to  their  final  account,  bids  us  awake  for  the  solemn 
duties  of  life. 

"  How  swift  the  torrent  rolls, 

That  bears  us  to  the  sea ; 
The  tide  which  hurries  thoughtless  souls 
To  vast  eternity." 

"Our  fathers,  where  are  they?"     Does  the  turf  cover  them  ? 

They  are  on  high.     Palms  adorn  their  hands,  and  crowns  begird 

their  brows. 

"  I  ask  them  whence  their  victory  came  ! 

They,  with  united  breath, 
Ascribe  their  conquest  to  the  Lamb, 
Their  victory  to  his  death." 

On  us,  brethren,  should  come  the  burden  of  the  day.  Remem- 
ber the  curse  of  those  who  "  came  not  up  to  the  help  of  the  Lord." 
Remember  the  reward  of  the  faithful.  Another  hundred  years, 
and  eternal  centuries  will  be  ours,  in  which  we  shall  rejoice  in  the 
presence  of  God,  or  mourn  in  banishment  from  "  the  glory  of  his 
power." 

Young  men,  descendants  of  the  founders  of  a  christian  church  in 
this  place,  I  charge  you  this  day,  by  our  fathers  labors,  and  toils, 
and  prayers  in  your  behalf,  to  stand  in  your  lot,  as  they  stood  in 
theirs.  On  you,  in  the  providence  of  God,  rest  the  momentous 
interests  of  Christ's  kingdom  in  this  place.  Put  away  vain  pur- 
suits, and  "  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteouness," 
that  when  he  shall  appear,  he  may  assign  you  a  portion  with  all 
the  faithful  of  ages  past,  and  of  generations  yet  unborn. 

Fathers,  brethren  and  friends,  I  seem  to  behold,  through  the 
closing  vista  of  the  past  century,  that  man  of  God  standing  before 
his  flock  and  addressing  them  for  the  first  time,  as  their  pastor  and 
guide.  He  looked  forward  to  what  should  result  from  the  union 
of  that  little  company  of  believers.  His  faith  and  theirs  beheld 
in  their  own  little  band,  the  germ  of  that  vine  which  is  yet  to 
overshadow  this  fair  heritage.  And  from  that  man  of  God,  I  seem 
to  have,  this  day,  a  charge  to  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith  once 
delivered  to  the  saints.  And  from  pastor  and  people,  comes  to  us 
all  the  injunction  to  keep  in  trust  what  God  has  committed  unto  us  j 
to  maintain  in  our  families  while  we  live,  and  to  transmit  to  suc- 
ceeding generations,  the  doctrines  which  were  their  support  in  life, 


20 


their  hope  in  death.  To  our  hands,  has  the  gospel,  as  they  re- 
ceived it,  been  intrusted.  And  for  its  maintenance,  will  the  great 
head  of  the  church  hold  us  accountable.  So  let  us  live,  so  let  us 
labor,  that  we  may  meet,  irreproachably,  in  the  judgment,  our 
children,  our  fathers,  our  Savior  and  our  God.     Amen. 


21 

Note  A.     Page  4. 

The  original  church  in  Northborough,  was  organized  May  21st,  0.  S.  1746.  On 
the  same  day  Rev.  John  Martyn  was  ordained  as  its  Pastor,  in  which  office  he 
died  April  30th,  1767.  Rev.  Peter  Whitney  succeeded  him  Nov.  4th  of  the  same 
year.  He  died  Feb.  29th,  1816.  Rev.  Jos.  Allen,  his  successor,  was  ordained  on 
the  30th  of  the  following  October.  The  Baptist  Church  in  Northborough  was 
formed  July  2d,  1827. 

In  1832,  April  12th,  the  Evangelical  congregational  church,  was  organized.  Its 
first  minister,  Rev.  Samuel  A.  Fay,  was  ordained  on  the  17th  of  the  following  Oct. 
at  which  time  also  the  house  of  worship  was  dedicated.  Mr.  Fay  was  dismissed, 
at  his  own  request,  Oct.  19th,  1836.  The  same  day  Rev.  Daniel  H.  Emerson  was 
ordained  as  his  successor.  Mr.  Emerson  also  as  ked  a  dismission  which  was  grant- 
ed April  22d,  1840.  Between  the  dismission  of  Mr.  Emerson  and  the  ordination  of 
the  present  incumbent,  July  5th,  1843,  the  pulpit  was  supplied  two  years  and  more 
by  Rev.  Joshua  Bates,  D.  D. 

Note  B.     Page  4. 

The  following  is  taken  from  the  Christian  Examiner  for  May  1846,  p.  289  :  As 
an  "  incontrovertible  canon  of  historical  criticism,"  viz.  "  the  silence  of  contempo- 
rary historians,  themselves  being  actors  in  the  scenes  which  they  describe,— con- 
cerning any  important  fact,  is  strong  presumptive  proof  against  it."  Is  not  the 
same  true  respecting  the  "  silence"  of  tradition  concerning  any  important  fact, 
when  tradition  exists  respecting  other  "  important  facts"  of  the  same  times  ? 
Tradition  is  positive  in  this  place  respecting  the  "  orthodoxy"  of  the  original  church. 
But  respecting  any  difference  between  it  and  other  Calvinistic  churches,  all  is 
"silence." 

Note  C.     Page  5. 

Perhaps  no  denomination  ought  to  appropriate  such  terms  as  "  orthodox"  and 
"  orthodoxy"  to  its  own  faith  exclusively.  But  in  settling  the  meaning  of  terms 
and  phrases,  the  simple  question  is,  what  is  their  import  by  the  law  of  "  usage." 
The  following  is  good  authority.  "  It  is  a  most  clear,  undeniable  and  universal 
rule,  that  the  signification  of  terms  must  be  decided  in  every  country  according 
to  the  known  and  general  acceptation  of  them  in  the  several  countries  where  they 
are  used."  (Report  of  the  board  of  overseers  of  Harvard  College,  1727.  Quincy's 
History,  vol.  I.  566.)  It  is  equally  "clear"  that  the  same  "  rule"  applies  to  "  the 
signification  of  terms"  in  different  periods,  in  the  same  country.  We  ask  then, 
what,  by  this  rule,  must  have  been  the  meaning  of  "  orthodoxy"  in  New  England 
one  hundred  years  ago,  and  in  the  very  outbreak  of  "  Arminianism  V" 

The  following  is  an  article  in  the  first  church  covenant  of  our  Fathers.  "  We 
oblige  ourselves  to  bring  up  our  children  and  servants  in  the  knowledge  and  fear 
of  God,  according  to  his  holy  institutions  and  according  to  our  best  abilities,  and 
in  special,  by  the  use  of  orthodox  catechisms,  that  so  the  true  religion  may  be 
maintained  in  our  families  while  we  live  and  among  such  as  shall  live  when  we  are 
dead."  And  in  "  a  historical  sketch  of  the  progress  of  evangelical  sentiments  in 
Northborough"  prepared  by  the  first  Pastor  of  the  evangelical  congregational  church, 
nnder  the  inspection  of  his  venerable  grandfather,  Nahum  Fay,  Esq.  who  acted  as 
clerk  of  the  first  church,  from  the  death  of  Rev.  Mr.  Whitney,  till  the  settlement 
of  his  successor,  I  find  the  first  covenant  entire,  recorded  as  having  been  used 
3 


22 

through  the.  whole  ministry  of  Rev.  Mr.  Martyn.  Mr.  Whitney's  settlement  13 
then  recorded  and  the  covenant  copied,  which,  the  sketch  says,  "was  used  under 
his  ministry."  The  substitution  which  is  made  in  this  second  covenant  for  the 
article  which  we  have  copied  from  the  first,  may  throw  some  lighton  the  fact  refer- 
red to  by  Rev.  Mr.  Allen,  (centennial  discourse,  appendix  p.  49),  that  in  the  original 
covenant,  in  his  possession,  the  article  prescribing  the  use  of  orthodox  catechisms, 
"  is  now  stricken  out  by  a  mark  of  the  pen."  The  article  in  the  second  covenant 
which  answers  to  the  one  we  have  copied  from  the  first,  is  this  ;  "  you  also  engage 
to  bring  up  such  as  may  be  placed  under  your  care,  in  the  knowledge  and  fear  of 
God,  that  the  true  religion  may  he  maintained  while  you  live  and  by  them  who 
shall  live  after  you.  And  to  these  ends  you  promise  to  keep  up  the  daily  worship 
of  God  in  your  house."  For  family  worship  in  the  latter,  substitute  the  use  of  or- 
thodox catechisms,  and  the  two  articles  are  identical.  We  see  no  need  of  queries. 
In  all  philosophical  inquiries  for  the  existence  of  given  facts,  "one  adequate  cause" 
is  deemed  sufficient. 

It  may  be  added  in  this  connection  that  churches  were  not  always  necessitated 
to  use  "  orthodox  catechisms"  or  none.  There  was  published,  in  Xew  Hampshire, 
soon  after  the  organization  of  the  original  church  in  this  place,  an  edition  of  the 
Assembly's  Catechism  from  which  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  Calvinism  were  ex- 
■piniised.  But  the  old  Catechisms  yet  found  in  Northborough  are  not  of  the  "  im- 
proved edition." 

Note  D.     Page  7. 

Charity  itself  is  sometimes  greatly  taxed  by  an  ambiguous  profession,  on  the 
part  of  some,  of  a  belief  in  "the  divinity  of  Christ,"  whilst  in  fact  they  utterly  de- 
ny what  that  phrase  implies  by  common  usage.  To  say  to  one  that  I  believe  in 
the  divinity  of  Christ,  when  I  believe  Christ  to  be  divine  only  in  the  sense  of  be- 
ing sent  on  a  divine  mission,  is  as  if,  to  one  asking  me  what  my  belief  is  as  to  the 
mode  of  God's  existence,  I  should  say,  I  am  a  Unitarian.  I  am  such  in  the  sense 
of  believing  in  God's  essential  unity.  But  common  usage  of  the  language  forbids 
such  an  application  of  terms  by  me,  when  I  am  not  a  unitarian  in  the  common  ac- 
ceptation of  the  word.  When  usage  has  assigned  to  terms  a  particular  meaning, 
no  man  has  a  moral  right  to  use  them  in  another  sense  without  explanation. 

These  remarks  apply  not  only  to  the  subject  of  Christ's  divinity,  but  to  the  use 
of  the  words  atonement,  regeneration  and  others. 

Note  E.     Page  7. 

It  is  alleged  of  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement  that  it  has  undergone  essential 
changes  in  its  history.  An  article  appeared  in  a  recent  number  of  the  Christian 
Examiner,  in  which  the  history  of  this  doctrine  is  divided  into  three  periods  ;  first, 
"the  mythic  period,"  extending  from  an  early  point  of  christian  antiquity  to  the 
eleventh  century,  in  which  "  the  prevailing  idea  was  of  a  controversy  between 
Christ  and  the  devil  for  the  souls  of  men,  and  the  work  of  Christ  was,  mainly  to 
redeem  men  from  the  power  of  the  devil,  by  paying  the  ransom  due  to  him  on  ac- 
count of  their  sins."  This  is  confessedly  the  most  objectionable  theory.  But 
gross  as  the  idea  is,  we  ask  if,  by  the  theory,  deliverance  from  the  consequences 
of  sin  was  not  granted,  by  God,  in  view  of  what  Christ  had  done  ;  in  view  of  the 
ransom  which  he  paid  ?  That  is,  was  not  man  saved  "  through  Christ,"  or  his 
sufferings  as  the  procuring  cause,  and  not  by  repentance  as  the  ground  of  salva- 


2:* 

tion?  If  so,  here  is  the  real  idea  of  atonement;  much  obscured  by  the  crude 
philosophy  of  a  dark  age  we  admit,  but  there  is  in  it  the  great  idea  that  Christ  died 
as  "  a  propitiation  for  our  sins." 

The  second  it  is  said,  is  "the  scholastic  period,  extending  from  the  eleventh 
century  to  the  Reformation."  The  idea  of  the  atonement  in  this  period  was,  that 
Christ  suffered  and  died  "to  satisfy  the  justice  of  God,  by  paying  the  debt  legallj 
incurred  by  the  sinner."  If  then  Christ  paid  the  debt,  were  not  men,  by  this  the- 
ory, also  forgiven,  "  for  Christ's  sake,"  and  not  on  account  of  their  repentance  as 
the  procuring  cause  ? 

"  The  third  period"  extending  from  the  Reformation  to  the  present  time,  repre- 
sents the  atonement  as  having  special  relation  to  "  the  government  of  God."  This 
is  the  idea  which  we  have  stated  in  the  body  of  the  discourse. 

We  ask  now,  if  in  any  of  these  theories,  the  idea  is  wanting  that  the  atonement 
of  Christ  is  such  as  to  be  the  meritorious  ground,  or  reason  in  view  of  which  God 
remits  the  incurred  penalty  of  his  law  ?  If  these  several  theories  cover  the  whole 
history  of  the  church,  when  has  it  not  been  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement,  that 
men  are  forgiven  "for  Christ's  sake,"  or  "through  Christ"  as  the  procuring  cause, 
by  his  own  sufferings  and  death,  of  human  salvation  ?  When  therefore  the  auth- 
or says,  "  throughout  the  whole  of  this  time  we  see  that  the  doctrine  is  in  progress, 
the  remark  has  pertinency  only  to  the  theories  and  not  to  the  substance  of  the 
doctrine,  except  as  by  more  rational  theories  the  real  doctrine  which  is  in  them 
all  becomes  more  intelligible  and  more  glorious  in  all  its  relations.  And  the  very 
fact  that  the  great  essential  idea  of  a  vicarious  atonement  has  pervaded  the  crud- 
est theories  of  the  darkest  ages  of  the  christian  church  as  well  as  the  most  enlight- 
ened, shows  how  clearly  such  an  atonement  is  revealed  in  the  Bible  and  how  hap- 
pily it  is  adapted^'  the  known  wants  of  a  lost  world. 

Note  F.     Page  10. 

The  following  is  Mr.  Martyn' s  monumental  inscription.  "Under  this  sepul- 
chral stone  lies  interred,  in  Christian  hope  of  a  blessed  resurrection,  what  was 
mortal  of  the  Reverend  John  Martyn,  A.  M.,  the  late  worthy  Pastor  of  this  flock, 
son  of  the  late  Captain  Edward  Martyn  of  Boston.  Educated  at  Harvard  College, 
Cambridge.  Was  ordained  in  this  place  May  21st,  1740,  approved  himself  an  as- 
siduous, orthodox,  eminent  preacher  of  the  great  redemption  by  Jesus  Christ. 
After  a  few  days  illness,  to  the  inexpressible  grief  of  his  family,  dock,  and  friends, 
expired  April  30th,  1707,  aged  sixty-one." 

"Sivitam  fide  Christi  Egimus  Sanctam  Si  quid  praeclare  gessimus,  hoc  sit 
nostri  monumentum." 

The  Old  Bible  is  now  in  the  possession  of  Mrs.  Harriet  Endicott  of  Sterling, 
wife  of  Captain  Endicott  and  daughter  of  John  Monis  Martyn,  who  was  grandson 
of  Rev.  John  Martyn. 

We  have  in  hand  also  a  manuscript  sermon  of  Rev.  John  Martyn,  belonging  to 
Wm.  P.  Endicott,  Esq.  of  Salem.  It  is  without  date  or  text,  the  first  few  leaves 
being  lost.  It  appears  to  have  been  preached  on  the  oeeasion  of  a  special  fast,  in 
view  of  a  great  drought ;  probably  in  171!).  There  is  not,  of  course,  anything  spe- 
cifically doctrinal  in  the  sermon,  but  its  sentiments  are  entirely  coincident  with 
those  recorded  in  his  study  Bible. 

Note  G.     Page  12. 
As  to  the  general  estimation  in  which  these  revivals  were  held  at  that  time,  proba- 


24 

bly  the  call  for  and  result  of  the  meeting  of  Pastors  in  Boston,  the  day  after  com- 
mencement at  Cambridge,  June  1743,  referred  to  by  Rev.  Mr.  Allen,  ("  centennial 
discourse,"  p.  43)  are  a  fair  index.  The  call  is  not  "  to  bear  their  testimony  and 
give  their  advice  in  relation"  to  an  evil-,  but  "  the  late  happy  revival  of  religion." 
And  so  far  as  any  difference  of  opinion  appears  in  the  results,  it  was  in  relation  to 
"  itinerancy."  This  was  a  separate  matter  from  the  revival,  though  unhappily 
connected  with  it.  And  when  Dr.  Benjamin  Colman  of  Boston,  Mr.  Parkman  of 
Westboro',  and  others  refused  to  sign  the  "  testimony  and  advice,"  of  the  conven- 
tion— not  because  it  favored  the  revival,  but  because  it  did  not  use  language  "  suf- 
ficiently strong"  against  "itinerancy,"  or.  as  they  define  the  term,  against  "min- 
isters and  others  introducing  themselves  into  other  ministers  parishes  without  their 
consent,"  they  only  ranked  themselves,  in  the  history  of  revivals,  with  such  men 
as  Griffin,  Payson,  Beecher,  Nettlflton,  Kirk  and  others  of  the  present  century, 
who  have  ever  cherished  the  memory  of  Whitfield  and  Edwards  as  among  the 
most  honored  instruments  of  reviving  and  establishing  vital  godliness  in  the  Amer- 
ican churches. 

In  a  biographical  notice  of  Andrew  Elliott,  one  of  those  who  withheld  his  name 
as  stated  above,  it  is  said  of  him  that  "  in  1743  he  united  with  many  other  excel- 
lent ministers  in  giving  his  testimony  in  favor  of  the  very  remarkable  revival  of  re- 
ligion in  this  country."  The  same  might  be  said  of  Colman,  Parkman,  and  others 
who  also  "  concurred"  with  the  testimony  "for  the  substance  of  it" 

A  quotation,  in  the  note  just  referred  to,  from  "  Quincy's  History  of  Harvard 
University,"  may,  we  apprehend,  from  the  sectarian  bias  of  that  history,  lead  to  a 
misapprehension,  in  some  minds,  of  the  particular  religious  faith  of  Dr.  Colman, 
and  through  his  known  influence  at  that  day,  to  a  misapprehnsion  of  the  faith  of 
our  fathers  generally,  one  hundred  years  ago.  That  Dr.  Colman  was  truly  "  lib- 
eral" we  doubt  not.  But  whether  he  was  so,  in  the  sense  of  ■ih.'dt  phrase  at  this 
day  in  and  about  Harvard  College,  a  few  facts  may  serve  to  snow. 

In  1(599,  he  with  his  church  in  Brattle  Square,  at  its  organization,  say  ;  "  first  of 
all  we  approve  and  subscribe  the  confession  of  faith  put  forth  by  the  Assembly  of 
Divines  at  Westminister."  But  perhaps  he  made  "  progress"  in  "  liberality." 
Let  us  see :  a  quarter  of  a  century  later,  he,  with  President  Leverett,  who  accord- 
ing to  the  same  author,  was  next  to  Dr.  Colman  in  liberality,  were  examiners  of 
the  first  Hollis  professor  of  Divinity  in  Harvard  College,  1722.  In  proof  of  the 
"orthodoxy"  of  this  Professor,  they  received  his  assent  to  this  same  "confession 
of  faith  put  forth  by  the  assembly  of  divines  at  Westminster,"  and  also  his  assent 
to  "  Ames'  Medulla  Thcologiae,"  which  being  interpreted  is,  as  to  substance  of  doc- 
trine, the  "  marrow  of  Calvinism."  But  Dr.  Colman  lived  another  quarter  of  a 
century,  almost,  in  which  time  the  light  of  transatlantic  "progress"  and  "liber- 
ality" dawned  upon  the  dark  land  of  the  Puritans.  Still  we  find,  that  some  fifteen 
years  later,  this  same  Dr.  Colman  was,  according  to  Dr.  Palfrey,  (sermon  to  the 
church  in  Brattle  Square  1824)  apprehensive,  lest  "  Arminianism"  should  gain 
ground  in  New  England.  But,  says  President  Quincy,  "  his  christian  charity  bright- 
ened to  the  last."  Of  this  we  have  no  doubt.  Still  we  find  him  on  the  old  found- 
ations. A  volume  of  sermons  lies  before  me,  by  Dr.  Colman's  colleague,  Rev. 
Wm.  Cooper.  The  subject  is  "  Predestination  unto  life."  They  are  prefaced  by 
Dr.  Colman,  Dr.  Prince,  and  others,  "  senior  Pastors  of  the  town  of  Boston"  1740. 
In  this  preface  they  avow  their  faith  in  this  doctrine  "because,"  say  they,  "  we 
find  it  in  our  Bible.     This  it  is  that  makes  us  dlMvlj*mrm«*  and  Calvinists." 

Of  such  a  faith,  as  appears  by  these  facts,  was  Brattle  street  church  one  hun- 
dred years  ago,  and  President  Leverett  of  Harvard  college,  and  Dr.  Colman,  whom 


f***U4Ai*+vC+»4 


25 

President  Quincy  alledges  to  have  been  "  the  recognized  leader  of  the  most  liberal 
party  of  the  province." 

Another  fact  shows  the  same  state  of  religious  opinions  in  New  England  one 
hundred  years  ago.  The  author  of  the  sermons  just  named,  was  in  1737  elected 
to  the  Presidency  of  Harvard  College  ;  and  he  is  said  to  have  been  "an  eminent 
promoter  of  the  great  revival  of  religion"  which  occurred  in  Whitfield's  first  visit 
to  this  country.  He  himself  said  that  "  since  the  year  1740,  more  people  had 
sometimes  come  to  him  in  one  week  about  their  souls,  than  in  the  preceeding 
twenty-four  years  of  his  ministry.  He  died  17-13.  It  ig  not  probable  that  Dr.  Col- 
man  and  Mr.  Cooper  his  colleague,  a  man  so  sound  and  judicious  as  to  command 
the  chair  of  Harvard  College,  were  at  variance  in  respect  to  that  great  revival. 
Probably  both  were  opposed  to  "  itinerancy." 

These  facts  may  throw  some  light  on  the  character  of  the  times  in  which  the 
first  minister  of  Northborough  was  settled.  They  show  at  least  what  Harvard  Col- 
lege was  one  hundred  years  ago,  when  such  men  as  Cooper  were  sought  to  preside 
over  its  interests.  But  by  men  of  the  same  spirit,  one  hundred  years  before  Colman 
and  Cooper,  was  that  institution  consecrated  "  Christo  et  Ecclesiae,"  to  Christ 
and  the  Church. 

In  respect  to  the  individual  position  of  Mr.  Martyn,  towards  the  revivals  of  that 
day,  no  positive  evidence  appears.  If  the  mere  fact  of  his  choosing  on  his  ordain- 
ing council  men  who  were  opposed  to  the  "  New  Lights"  is  evidence  that  he  was 
opposed  to  them,  then  we  should  infer  that  his  church  were  in  favor  of  them,  since 
they  chose  on  their  part,  Mr.  Hall  of  Sutton,  a  man  so  notedly  in  favor  of  Whit- 
field and  Edwards  as  to  command  a  seat  in  the  council  convened  by  the  latter  at 
the  time  of  his  difficulties  in  Northampton.  Mr.  Hall  even  practiced  "  itinerancy." 
Others,  also,  chosen  on  part  of  the  church,  "  concurred"  with  the  testimony  and 
advice  of  the  "  convention"  before  referred  to.  The  presumption,  in  respect  to 
Mr.  Martyn,  is,  that  he  favored  these  revivals.  He  at  least  held  the  doctrines 
under  the  influence  of  which,  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  occurred.  And  if  the 
assumption  of  the  author  of  the  "  History  of  Harvard  University"  be  true,  that 
the  high  Calvinists  were  the  particular  abettors  of  the  New  Lights,  we  should 
almost  suspect  Mr.  Martyn  of  being  an  advocate  for  " itinerancy ■." 

Note  H.     Page  12. 

Prof.  Palfrey  of  Cambridge  college,  says,  (Am.  Enc.)  that  "  unitarian  opinions 
were  extensively  adopted  in  Massachusetts,  as  early  as  the  middle  of  the  last  cen- 
tury." They  were  not,  of  course,  known  then  by  their  present  name.  They  ap 
peared  here  as  in  England,  at  first,  under  the  names  of  Arianism,  Socinianism  &c. 
See  the  same  authority.  The  first  minister  of  Northborough  could  not  have  been 
ignorant  of  the  existence  of  these  "opinions."  Only  four  years  after  his  settle- 
ment, Dr.  Bellamy,  in  a  letter  designed  to  warn  those  who  said  there  were  "  no 
Arians,  no  Sochiians  in  the  land,"  gave  the  alarm  from  Connecticut  of  departures 
from  the  faith  in  and  about  Boston.  A  little  later  the  Arian  work  of  Emlyn  was 
published  by  Dr.  Mayhew.  And  about  the  same  time  appeared  the  mutilated  edition 
of  the  Westminster  Catechism.  And  these  developments,  at  that  time,  account 
for  the  particular  cast  of  many  of  Mr.  Martyn' s  remarks  which  we  shall  adduce, 
and  give  him  a  definite  position  towards  these  various  doctrines. 

But  the  inquiry  may  arise,  why  these  views  no  sooner  took  an  embodied  form  ? 
They  had  no  systematic  existence  in  this  country  till  about  the  year  1S16.  The 
marked,  progressive  developments,  after  the  publication  of  Emlyu'a   Inquiry  1756, 


20 

•were,  according  to  Trof.  Palfrey,  the  exclusion  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  from  the 
liturgy  of  an  Episcopal  church  in  Boston,  1785,  the  appointment  of  Dr.  Ware  to 
the  chair  of  divinity  in  Harvard  University  lbOo ;  and  the  publication,  in  this 
country,  of  Belsham's  life  of  Lindsley  1H6. 

The  history  of  the  latter  half  of  the  last  century  will  suggest  to  all  a  sufficient 
reason  for  the  slow  embodied  development  of  these  or  any  other  exotic  doctrines 
introduced  at  such  a  time.  The  political  state  of  the  colonies  engaged  all  public 
attention.  From  the  termination  of  the  religious  revivals  till  the  adoption  of  the 
federal  constitution,  scarcely  a  year  was  free  from  violent  agitations.  The  old 
French  war  began  the  strife,  1744.  Four  years  later  there  was  a  cessation  of 
war,  but  not  for  peace.  Then  came  another  conflict  of  arms  with  the  same  na- 
tion. Nor  had  peace  fairly  settled  upon  the  land,  before  "  the  stamp  act  "  and 
other  measures  began  the  real  American  Revolution.  The  strife  of  arms  was  but 
the  maintenance  of  principles  already  settled.  Then  followed  a  period  of  internal 
agitation  in  bringing  the  states  into  one.  Indeed  the  latter  half  of  the  eighteenth 
century  was,  to  New  England,  any  thing  but  a  time  for  the  development  of  theo- 
logical systems  as  such  ;  and  yet  it  was  a  time  exceedingly  favorable  for  the  com- 
ing  in  of  errors  in  doctrine  and  in  practice.  Not  only  did  the  doctrines  before  re- 
ferred to  gain  upon  individual  minds  and  in  some  churches,  but  other  errors, 
and  infidelity  itself  made  great  inroads.  Opposition  to  evangelical  doctrines  had 
been  awakened  by  the  revivals.  Looser  views  had  been  advanced.  Such  seed 
was  already  sown  as  would  develope  itself.  Tares  need  no  cultivation ;  if  let 
alone  they  will  grow  whilst  the  wheat  less  neglected  will  perish  by  their  side.  So 
with  doctrinal  errors  and  truth  in  the  half  century  under  consideration.  The  in- 
tellectual champion  and  spiritual  host  of  New  England,  the  great  Edwards,  was 
dead  and  there  was  but  one  Bellamy  in  the  land.  Centinels  and  watchmen  there 
were  "-ood  men  and  true  in  their  hearts.  And  though  we  would  not  condemn 
them  for  doing  so  much  politically,  and  especially  to  sustain  the  American  Revo- 
lution, yet  Ave  fear  they  did  not  labor  so  directly  as  they  should  have  done,  for 
that  moral  revolution  which  alone  can  make  our  fallen  race  freemen  in  the  Lord. 
The  preaching  of  that  day  was  too  abstract.  The  moral  bearings  of  doctrinal 
truths  were  not  applied  to  the  conscience.  The  theories  embraced  in  the  cate- 
chism or  such  others  as  individuals  might  adopt,  were  made  more  prominent  than 
the  doctrinal  facts  which  they  were  designed  to  explain.  It  is  not  strange  therefore, 
that  £ven  while  the  catechism,  containing  the  great  doctrinal  truths  which  have 
ever  been  made  "  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation,"  was  in  such  general  use, 
error  still  came  in  upon  the  churches. 

Other  causes,  too  numerous  to  mention,  existed,  which  fully  account  for  the 
slow  development  of  systematic  errors  whilst  at  the  same  time  the  errors  them- 
selves were  undermining  old  foundations.  Thus  were  churches,  within  half  a 
centurv,  and  sometimes  within  a  quarter  of  a  century  or  less,  subverted  from 
their  original  foundations ;  and  the  few  remaining  members,  who  held  to  their 
original  faith,  passing  oft*  the  stage  by  death,  a  religion  which  the  fathers  knew 
not  was  adopted  by  their  children. 


*5 


' 


PHOTOMOUNT 
PAMPHLET  BINDER 

Manufactured  by 

GAYLORD  BROS.  Inc. 

Syracuse,  N.Y. 

Stockton,  Calif. 

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